[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 2614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-583]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, Big 
Thicket National Preserve, Texas

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the general management plan (GMP), Big Thicket National Preserve.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an 
environmental impact statement for a general management plan for Big 
Thicket National Preserve, Texas. The environmental impact statement 
will be approved by the Director, Intermountain Region.
    The general management plan will prescribe the resource conditions 
and visitor experiences that are to be achieved and maintained in the 
Preserve over the next 15 to 20 years. The clarification of what must 
be achieved according to law and policy will be based on review of the 
Preserve's purpose, significance, special mandates, and the body of 
laws and policies directing park management. Based on determinations of 
desired conditions, the general management plan will outline the kinds 
of resource management activities, visitor activities, and development 
that would be appropriate in the future. A range of reasonable 
management alternatives will be developed through this planning process 
and will include, at a minimum, a no-action and a preferred 
alternative.
    The NPS is required to prepare a GMP for all NPS units. A GNP was 
completed for Big Thicket National Preserve in 1980. The 1980 GMP does 
not address lands added to the Preserve since 1993 or current NPS park 
planning standards or NPS management policies.
    Issues to be addressed will include but are not limited to the 
following: The management of lands added to the Preserve since the 
original GMP in 1980; visitor use and resource management issues; 
access to and within the Preserve; and changes in land use patterns and 
their impact on natural and cultural resources in the Preserve.
    A scoping newsletter will be prepared that describes the issues 
identified to date. Copies of the newsletter may be obtained in June 
from Todd Brindle, Superintendent, Big Thicket National Preserve, 6044 
FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone: 409-951-6802, the park Web site 
http://www.nps.gov/bith, or on the Planning, Environment, and Public 
Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith.

DATES: Any comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the plan 
should be submitted no later than 180 days after publication of this 
notice. In addition to the newsletter, public meetings regarding the 
general management plan will be held during the scoping period. 
Specific dates, times, and locations will be made available in the 
local media, on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and 
Public Comment (PEPC) Web site), or by contacting the Superintendent of 
Big Thicket National Preserve.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith, in the office of the 
Superintendent, Todd Brindle, 6044 FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone: 
409-951-6802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Brindle, Superintendent, 6044 FM 
420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone: 409-951-6802 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public and agency involvement will be 
solicited at several key steps in the planning process including 
initial scoping, alternatives development, and the draft plan. If you 
wish to comment on any issues associated with the plan, you may submit 
your comments to the planning team by any one of several methods. You 
may mail comments to Big Thicket National Preserve, Office of the 
Superintendent, 6044 FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625. You may also comment 
via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith. Finally, you may 
hand deliver comments to the preserve headquarters at 6044 FM 420, 
Kountze, Texas 77625. Before including your address, phone number, e-
mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so. In personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. In addition, 
we will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Dated: September 3, 2008.
Michael D. Snyder,
Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.

    Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the 
Federal Register on January 9, 2009.
[FR Doc. E9-583 Filed 1-14-09; 8:45 am]
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